road bike for my 12 yr old son

redscouse

Hi Guys

wanting to get a road bike for my 12 yr old son, trying to pick up a small adult Triban 3 ...the older red version for around £200.00. An Islabike would be ideal especially with the dual brake setup however the secondhand prices are high and a new one is way too much. What are peoples opinion of Carrerra bikes from Halfords or Claud Butler.

most of the kids at the local youth cycling club are riding islabikes ..one or two have spesh and even a Ribble grand fondo...so the bike would need to look cool too.

he is 5ft 1 but growing fast.

any thoughts would be appreciated.

imposter2.0

If he's a beginner then an islabike would be ideal. The prices are higher, but so are the resale values, as you say.

lostboysaint

And whilst it might seem like a great plan to spend less and get an XS or S adult bike the type of bike you'll get for that money will be very heavy. Islabikes are excellent because of their great fit for kids, light weight, good componentry and excellent secondhand value - which means that over the time he'll be riding it (and he will, 'cos it's light and he'll love it) it'll cost virtually nothing.

Dorset_Boy

There's very, very little choice at around £200 new - the red Triban 3 was £250 at the start of the summer, and has now been replaced by the white version. My 10 yo has the smallest red one and the only thing that is difficult for him is changing up the rings at the front due to the distance he has to push his left brake lever - only a problem once he's crested a hill, not an issue when racing.
The new Frog road bikes are £400 upwards and so are Islabikes.
All other brands are £450 or more.

It's a difficult one!

Is no one at the club looking to get a bigger bike and sell their old one on?

jordan_217

Have you had a look at Moda bikes? IIRC they do 650c wheel road and cx bikes.

redscouse

thank you for the advice chaps...keep it coming...will have to have a chat with Mrs regarding amount of money to spend on him...ISlabikes look great and sell well at secondhand. The frog bikes look great too and I will check out MODA

darkhairedlord

When I was lad a boy down the road got a bike for christmas that was too big, his dad put 4" thick polystyrene blocks on the pedals so he could reach them (I sh*t you not!). After howls of laughter from other children, adults, passing old ladies it went back in the garage while he waited to "grow into it". He never did get any taller!

arlowood

This is still being advertised in the classified section. He was asking £400 but might be open to offers if it's still available. Not sure if the size would suit but worth a query for geometry details

viewtopic.php?f=40090&t=12993926

Also have you thought of buying a frame and building up a bike for him. I've just finished a build for my grandson (13 years old) base around a size 50 Genesis Volant frame.

viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=12991733&p=19167998&hilit=genesis#p19167998

He needed a flat bar set-up so I had to go new for some of the parts so I've exceeded your budget.

However there's loads of cheap 2nd hand Shimano stuff around and you could pick up a frame from Paul Milnes

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131181054782? ... EBIDX%3AIT

and build it up for around or below your budget

apreading

The Triban 500 SE is still very good value.

gimpl

darkhairedlord wrote:

When I was lad a boy down the road got a bike for christmas that was too big, his dad put 4" thick polystyrene blocks on the pedals so he could reach them (I sh*t you not!). After howls of laughter from other children, adults, passing old ladies it went back in the garage while he waited to "grow into it". He never did get any taller!

This made me laugh as it's exactly what my Dad did to me only the blocks were wood. I was 10 at the time and I rode the bike till I was 18 and well over 6ft. 'You'll grow into it Son' was a common expression in our house and always true.

Anyway, my son is about the same height as the OP and I bought him a second hand XS Defy - he loves it and uses it regularly including coming out with me on shortish rides. I'm pretty confident that when he grows out of it I'll be able to sell it on and recover a good percentage back.

Anonymous

Get one with decent junior specific levers if he needs them.

Junior bikes are there for junior riders.
If people want their child to ride a road bike when they are small, they need a small road bike with small levers.
If they want to buy them a bigger one because its cheaper, then wait until they are bigger/older and fit it.

I would explore other options to Isla Bikes (unless you like the massive snob value they have).
We need mainstream brands to make junior bikes and for the prices to come down so that more people are happier to buy them.

Not sure about the Claud Butler, but its probably similar to the Dawes junior bike.......Awful!
I would avoid the supplementary brake levers too. If the bike fits and has decent levers that he can use there is simply no need for them.

gimpl

Carbonator wrote:

Get one with decent junior specific levers if he needs them.

Junior bikes are there for junior riders.
If people want their child to ride a road bike when they are small, they need a small road bike with small levers.
If they want to buy them a bigger one because its cheaper, then wait until they are bigger/older and fit it.

I would explore other options to Isla Bikes (unless you like the massive snob value they have).
We need mainstream brands to make junior bikes and for the prices to come down so that more people are happier to buy them.

Not sure about the Claud Butler, but its probably similar to the Dawes junior bike.......Awful!
I would avoid the supplementary brake levers too. If the bike fits and has decent levers that he can use there is simply no need for them.

My Son fitted an XS Defy and is about the same size as the OP's Son. I certainly wasn't going to try and find something that was 'Junior specific', what's the point when he fits a 'normal' road bike, is growing rapidly and components etc are interchangeable ?

DeVlaeminck

Be creative, I bought a second hand Specialized cross frame for my daughter and built it up with some 160 cranks I bought new and a mix of second hand bits - ok it helped I had some wheels and shifters lying around unused but you can pick up second hand sora cheaply. I would go second hand anyway and I go for a cross bike as that is more versatile for the kind of riding kids do. A second hand Isla, Moda or whatever may be over priced but he can sell it on in a couple of years to help fund his next bike or if he's like my son a PS 4.

Anonymous

Gimpl wrote:

Carbonator wrote:

Get one with decent junior specific levers if he needs them.

Junior bikes are there for junior riders.
If people want their child to ride a road bike when they are small, they need a small road bike with small levers.
If they want to buy them a bigger one because its cheaper, then wait until they are bigger/older and fit it.

I would explore other options to Isla Bikes (unless you like the massive snob value they have).
We need mainstream brands to make junior bikes and for the prices to come down so that more people are happier to buy them.

Not sure about the Claud Butler, but its probably similar to the Dawes junior bike.......Awful!
I would avoid the supplementary brake levers too. If the bike fits and has decent levers that he can use there is simply no need for them.

My Son fitted an XS Defy and is about the same size as the OP's Son. I certainly wasn't going to try and find something that was 'Junior specific', what's the point when he fits a 'normal' road bike, is growing rapidly and components etc are interchangeable ?

There is no point if he fits it, but thats exactly what I said isn't it? Get a bike that fits.
The OP mentioned 650c Tribans and junior specific Isla Bikes so guessed he feels they are a better size/fit.

Loads of people are going to try to put a small child with small hands on a 700c bike with huge levers thats too big for them though.

DeVlaeminck

At 12 he will be on a 700 Isla anyway. An average 12 year old will he fine on a small "adult" bike.

Geo555

Isla Bikes have knocked £50 off their Luath range.

http://www.islabikes.co.uk/products/bikes

redscouse

just watched an ebay auction for an islabike 700c large...the above link shows the the brand new price at £449.99
the ebay auction finished at £391....another £60 gets you a brand new fully guaranteed bike... people have no sense.

Philly8mt

Moda look the part.
Saw them at JE James the other day. May be worth a nosey on their site?

Anonymous

redscouse wrote:

just watched an ebay auction for an islabike 700c large...the above link shows the the brand new price at £449.99
the ebay auction finished at £391....another £60 gets you a brand new fully guaranteed bike... people have no sense.

Thats ebay for you, but it is an Islabike lol
Probably had about four owners already and has the first owners name (Tarquin?) on the top tube

700c bike with brake levers (for confidence) on the flats does not make sense to me.
Surely its better to just gain confidence on the hoods where the rider has most control?

So his/her hands need short reach levers, but has same size wheels as someone 6'4" tall.

The levers are cr4p anyway looking at the photo. Just normal old style adult thumb shift with the rubber things in to bring the levers slightly nearer arnt they?
Microshift ones are wayyyyyyy better.

ronnierocket

One thing to be aware of I think is that if they are using a small version of an adult bike that there are rules on what gears junior riders are allowed to race with, and an adult bike could be too big I would imagine.

DeVlaeminck

Carbonator wrote:

redscouse wrote:

just watched an ebay auction for an islabike 700c large...the above link shows the the brand new price at £449.99
the ebay auction finished at £391....another £60 gets you a brand new fully guaranteed bike... people have no sense.

Thats ebay for you, but it is an Islabike lol
Probably had about four owners already and has the first owners name (Tarquin?) on the top tube

700c bike with brake levers (for confidence) on the flats does not make sense to me.
Surely its better to just gain confidence on the hoods where the rider has most control?

So his/her hands need short reach levers, but has same size wheels as someone 6'4" tall.

The levers are cr4p anyway looking at the photo. Just normal old style adult thumb shift with the rubber things in to bring the levers slightly nearer arnt they?
Microshift ones are wayyyyyyy better.

Honestly if you do any kids coaching or look at any local cyclocross league you'll know that at 12 they are all on 700c wheels and that the shifters on an Islabike are perfectly useable - in fact kids a fair few years younger can use those shifters without a problem. The only problem with Islabikes is the price some people ask for the second hand - you'll never get a bargain off ebay but I've had an Isla 26 for £80 (needed recabling) and a 700 for £200 both off cyclocross forums.

redscouse

Settled on a Triban 3 from Gumtree...48 cm frame 650 wheels...in great nick too and will get Isla style brakes on bars fitted for 20/25 pounds. The 51 is too big for him at moment so 48 is perfect and will do him for next 12 months or so.

Dorset_Boy

If he's 12 he really won't need the brakes on the bars - save the money or put it towards some better tyres.

dartmoorscottydog

I would get the bar levers for safety reasons. You can always take them off next year when his handling and ability to read the road is better. My son was 12 when he got a Trek 1.2. He doesn't use the bar brakes but definitely did for the first year. Have fun !